Teaspoons, ice teaspoons and soup spoons are small for average and large hands. You should learn to play them, however, as they may often be the only type available when the opportunity or the mood to play strikes. This is often at a Mexican food restaurant when the travelling troubadour stops at your table, or at any restaurant when an irresistible song comes from the jukebox.

Ice teaspoons are probably the best of the stainless steel spoons, at least for the youngsters and beginners of all ages.

Tablespoons (big-spoons to those of us from the hills) are the best for the serious player. They fill the hand better and can be played louder when desired.

Wooden spoons offer variety. They are very good with the older stringed instruments such as the mountain dulcimer, autoharp and the harpsichord. They are especially good for playing against the blown up jowl with the mouth forming an O that is alternated from a small o to a large O and then back again.

When selecting metal spoons, silver alloy is tops (mine are nickel-silver). Pure silver is too soft to make a good tone and the handles cannot take the wear. Stainless steel spoons are satisfactory and often must do.

If you have the choice, select metal spoons with flat and wide handle tips and the flattest shanks you can find. If you can, bend the spoon handle slightly up about one-inch from the end and then back straight about 1/2-inch from the first bend. This will give more finger room and will hold the spoon bowls about the desired 1/4-inch apart.

As stated earlier, you should permanently "fix" your "professional" spoons. First, make sure the first inch of each handle is flat. If needed, you can do this with a heavy hammer and the anvil. Drill a hole near the end of each spoon and fasten them together with a rivet. Bend the handles as described above so their form holds the bowls about 1/4-inch apart. This makes them easier to hold in a constant position which makes the playing easier and gives you more flexibility when adding your "show-off" moves.

                   Before          Ready to Play

You will just have to try different kinds of wooden spoons to determine the tone and ease of handling. You can modify them by carving and sanding. You can notch the handles near the ends for better grip. I use commercial wooden stirring spoons about 10-inches long. I cut them off if necessary and double-notch each handle for my finger about 3/4-inch from the end. If you are very clever, you can carve your own from fine hardwood material.

                    Before         Ready to Play

A variation of a pair of wooden spoons is the clapper. The clapper is carved in one piece from fine hardwood and is played just like a pair of spoons. It is joined at the holding end and may have spoon-like or hammer-like ends on the playing ends.

According to spoon players in the Ozarks, the art probably had its origin using wooden spoons which then led to the single piece clapper.